How to Become a More Well-Rounded Leader

How to Become a More Well-Rounded Leader

By Tony(ˈtōnē) Schwartz

For years, when I spoke with CEOs or senior(ˈsēnyər) leaders, it was because they were interested(ˈint(ə)ristid,ˈintəˌrestid) in how my consulting(kənˈsəltiNG) firm(fərm) could help their employees(emˈploi-ē,ˌemploiˈē) become more engaged(enˈgājd), or innovative(ˈinəˌvātiv), or sustainably(səˈstān) high-performing. During the past year – and especially(iˈspeSHəlē) the past six months – I’ve been hearing(ˈhi(ə)riNG) a different and much more personal initial(iˈniSHəl) question: “Can you help me better manage(ˈmanij) my own life?”

Consider the challenges(ˈCHalənj) that modern(ˈmädərn) corporate(ˈkôrp(ə)rət) leaders — and especially CEOs — now face, in addition(əˈdiSHən) to running their companies every day:

A high likelihood(ˈlīklēˌho͝od) that the company they run has a business(ˈbiznis) model(ˈmädl) that is being seriously(ˈsi(ə)rēəslē) disrupted(disˈrəpt), most often as a result of technology(tekˈnäləjē).

A far more vocal(ˈvōkəl) and influential(ˌinflo͞oˈenCHəl) group of stakeholders(ˈstākˌhōldər), including employees, customers(ˈkəstəmər), and the public(ˈpəblik) at large, all emboldened(emˈbōldən) by their access to social media and by the speed at which their opinions(əˈpinyən) can go viral(ˈvīrəl).

A highly volatile(ˈvälətl) political(pəˈlitikəl) climate(ˈklīmit) that has prompted(prämpt) fear(fi(ə)r) and uncertainty both inside and outside companies.

Ambivalence(amˈbivələns) about how to best attract(əˈtrakt), manage, and retain(riˈtān) Millennials(miˈlenēəl), who now represent the largest generation in the workforce, expect more flexibility(ˌfleksəˈbilətē) in the way they work, and prefer(priˈfər) to work for employers(emˈploi-ər) with a mission(ˈmiSHən) that goes beyond maximizing(ˈmaksəˌmīz) profit(ˈpräfit).

How can leaders balance these complex and often competing demands(diˈmand)? The core challenge for modern leaders, I believe, is to become more wholly(ˈhōl(l)ē) human – to actively develop a wider(wīd) range of capabilities(ˌkāpəˈbilitē) and to more deeply understand themselves.

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